Best Yoga Books

Best Books On Yoga For The Beginner, Seasoned Or Pro

Here you will find some of the best yoga books on the market today. I have handpicked these for you as they have actually passed through my hands, so I discarded whatever was a waste of time and breath.There are so many books on yoga out there that it's quite difficult to find those books that actually teach you something about yoga positions, breathing and how to practice it the right way.

Of course, you can't learn yoga only from books - you either need to join a yoga class, or at least follow some Yoga DVDs or videos, but books are a great resource that can help you master yoga with ease.

Enjoy these best selling yoga books and if you have a book that I haven't yet reviewed, please leave me the title in the Guestbook below.

Yoga for Beginners

Yoga For Beginners

Yoga For Beginners

by Mark Ansari and Liz Lark

If you're starting with Yoga now, this is maybe the best book on yoga that i can recommend to any newcomer. It's really good. I wish I found this book when I started my Yoga practice, but at the time I had no access to the internet and the local bookstore didn't have it.

One thing that I liked about the book as soon as I got it was the binding. The spiral binding makes it easy to keep the book flat (on the floor or mat next to you when you practice). Also what I really liked is the great photos that are extremely clear and show the various positions in a way that it's easy to practice them right from the bat.

And not to forget the easy step by step instructions that accompany the great photos. You just can't go wrong with this book. Many of my peers have it and swear by it (and so do I).

Office Yoga: Simple Stretches for Busy People

Office Yoga: Simple Stretches for Busy People

I like to mention this book because these days Yoga is truly for everyone. You don't have to have practiced for years or months to get to a specific level Now Yoga can be practiced at the office with a few stretches and they are all valid Yoga postures, even if they seem overly simple. But if you have hardly any time for yourself, you CAN do these exercises and you'll get the benefits of practicing from one of the best Yoga books ever.

This book also makes a great gift not only for Christmas or other serious celebrations, but also for birthdays...or just for fun. If you have a friend who is thinking of starting Yoga, give him or her this book. They'll love it!

You'll find exercises on how to relieve stress, how to stretch the muscles and get rid of pain in the bones from sitting for too long in one position, and the great illustrations are not only fun but really instructive. I like it!

Bikram's Beginning Yoga Class

Here is another great yoga book that I recommend for beginners. One of the best yoga books on improving your flexibility, strength, conditioning, and increasing your energy levels.

This is in fact the second edition of the classic book by Bikram Choudhury (I have the first edition, was using it for many years before the new one came out), and I have to say that the updated edition is so much better than the original. Even if you have Edition 1, I suggest you buy the new one. You have 26 asanas (postures) that have (sometimes hilarious) descriptions by the 'guru', and while the books is at times entertaining, don't let that fact deter you from learning it: you ARE learning from a Yoga master.

Some people are actually using this book to supplement their Bikram Yoga class, but if you don't have one nearby, don't worry, the book is really all you need to get started. I never attended one of his classes and the book helped me just as well.

The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga

The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga

Another great book on Yoga, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga is also highly recommended by many Yoga instructors. Sure, the book is not the only one you'll never need, each book brings to the table the knowledge, wisdom and practice of the author (usually a Yoga guru) who wrote it, however if you buy this book, you'll find going back to it over and over again.

Some aspects of Yoga theory, such as the Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga are presented quite indepth. There are many (I think almost 150) illustrations of Yoga positions that you can practice along and the descriptions of the steps are quite thorough. You can easily use this book for your daily Yoga practice.

Some people might find it off-putting that it is so indepth, however I find it's a positive - for example you get a very good explanation about each part of the body used in the various exercises - and the purpose of the exercises themselves. Not every book is so thorough - when reading it, I feel like I'm at a doctor who actually speaks to you and answers your questions instead of treating you like an idiot (no offense to doctors!).

Yoga for Beginners: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started

Yoga for Beginners: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started

This is a new book on Yoga, published 2012, so not many Yoga enthusiasts will have it yet. I was curious about it and I got it (on Kindle actually) as soon as it was available at Amazon. I do love my paperback or hardcover books, but strangely enough this book reads quite well on Kindle. Maybe it's because it doesn't have that many images and photos, but it has loads of information for the newbies, such as how to start your Yoga practice, what mistakes you can make and how to avoid them, exercise tips, relaxation and breathing tips.

There is even a chapter on how to lose weight with Yoga. I'm sure many women will jump right to that chapter before anything else!

While it's not as indepth as some other yoga books for beginners, I still consider it one of the best yoga books overall for the newbie.

Your Personal Book of Yoga

This is a great book on yoga and meditation. What you do is simply open the book to any random page and read that page. That is the life lesson you are meant to know and meditate on for that day. I actually got this book because I have a similar one on meditation and it works beautifully. I even open it several times a day, and the wisdom that pours out of the book is exactly what I need for that moment. Recommended!

Yoga For Intermediate

Hatha Yoga Illustrated

Hatha Yoga Illustrated

While this book is great for newbies as well, I do also recommend it for the intermediate to Yoga because among the 70 or so postures described in this book, some are definitely not for newbies. Many people who have practiced Yoga for years will find lots of new stuff in this book that will help them along the way.

The photos are really gorgeous and well described. If you are a newbie, you can still pick it up - you don't have to start with all 70 poses - start with some easier ones, do the Sun Salutation and some sitting positions, and where you are an intermediate with some practice under your belt, then you're ready to tackle some of the more difficult ones.

Yoga as Medicine:

Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing

This is a great Yoga book for everyone: beginner, intermediate or pro. It's actually a kind of specialized book as it focuses on the health aspects of Yoga, not so much on how to start the easy positions. There is theory about yoga (history, science) as well as practical exercises for various specific ailments: weight loss, IBS, arthritis, asthma, back pain, cancer, depression, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and MS are just some of the problems that Yoga can help with.

If you do have a health problem, pick up this book because most probably it can help.

Personally I have it and love it. I am suffering from back pain and this book helps alleviate it. when I do Yoga exercises recommended in this book, I don't need to take pain reliever pills.

Yoga Zone Yoga for Life

Yoga Zone Yoga for Life: An Intermediate Guide to Health, Fitness, and Relaxation

While this book can be easily used by any Yoga newbie, I put it in the intermediate section because it is it involved so much more than just a few exercises: it is about integrating yoga in your regular life. Many newbies are now taking their first steps with Yoga and they are not yet ready to devote a lot of time to it. They're not even sure whether they will continue or give up

Once you're over the first hurdles, however, I suggest you pick up this book as it will teach you lots on how to incorporate the practice and philosophy of Yoga in your daily life, which will be so much more enriched by it.

Yoga For The Pros

Path of Fire and Light, Vol. 1: Advanced Practices of Yoga

Path of Fire and Light, Vol. 1: Advanced Practices of Yoga

If you're looking for a book on advanced Yoga, this is one of the best yoga books I can recommend for you. This is not for a Yoga beginner, and even intermediate practitioners might have some troubles with it (I definitely have, I'm nowhere near an advanced level, truth be said).

You learn all about pranayama, how to get started and how to achieve spiritual transformation through yoga. When you are a beginner to Yoga, you mostly learn about the basic asanas, and less about the proper breathing and meditation. This book is all that newbies don't learn. So if you feel that you are advanced enough to go to a new level of understanding and spiritual growth, get this book, you won't be disappointed.

Advanced Yoga Practices - Easy Lessons for Ecstatic Living

Volume 2 of the already presented manual of advanced Yoga, this is a great resource if you are interested in Yoga for your spiritual advancement. This book pick up where the first one left off, expanding on details about the various Yoga techniques and the different stages of mind while practicing.

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